chased leader, ridden and chased winner after 4 out, no extra from last
mid-division, mistake 1st, headway when hampered approaching 10th, ridden 4 out, kept on same pace
in touch, ridden 10th, weakened 4 out, pulled up before 3 out
in touch, badly hampered 7th, ridden 10th, soon weakened
towards rear, blundered 5th, weakening when unseated rider 8th
chased leader, led after 7th, ridden clear approaching 3 out, kept on well
led, headed 7th, close 4th when pulled up quickly after 8th, dismounted
mid-division, ridden and headway from 4 out, stayed on well to go 2nd close home
prominent when fell 7th
held up, mistake 3rd, reminder 4th, pulled up before 10th
prominent until fell 8th
mid-division, ridden and weakened 9th, pulled up before 3 out
You would be inclined to think that there will be more to come from I'MONCLOUDNINE today and so we will take him to follow up his recent Hereford win, while Scalini's and Charming Oscar are obvious dangers. The selection struck at a double figure price on his chasing debut when plunged straight into handicap company last week, over the same trip as today's. Soft ground suits, he has surely got a fair bit more improvement to come after just five runs so far and we will side with him. Scalini's receives an extra 3lbs here from the selection, for being beaten just over two lengths last time and he has also got trip and ground to his liking, so he can again go well but does not look open to the same amount of improvement. Charming Oscar was a course and distance scorer last time and is now 10lb higher for that, which looks plenty hefty enough. On the plus front the runner-up that day has come out and run another good race since, so Bob Buckler's charge should be able to take some prize money home. Take It There has a few miles on the clock on the flat and has not yet won in seven attempts over the sticks. A 2lb rise for making the frame at Folkestone last time won't help her cause and the step up in trip is not necessarily a plus either. Trip and ground should suit A Few Kind Words, who came back after a long lay-off with an adequate sort of run at Chepstow last month and makes his chasing debut here. He is probably best watched but is nonetheless interesting. Don't discount Justabout, whose last run can be scrubbed and if you return to his previous effort at Hereford would have to have a chance, but we'll take I'moncloudnine.
I'moncloudnine (IRE) 11-1 (11-10) Mid-division, steady headway from 5th, reminders after 8th, stumbled on landing 4 out, challenged 2 out, led last, stayed on well, won at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft beating Scalini's (11-7) by 2 1/2l, 15 ran.
Charming Oscar (IRE) 7-1 (10-2) Hit 1st, soon mid-division, steady headway from 8th, went 2nd approaching 3 out, soon ridden, challenging when hit last, led flat, driven out, won at Taunton 2m 3f hcp chs 0-110 (4) sft beating Ping Pong Sivola (11-7) by 1l, 11 ran.
Scalini's (IRE) 9-2fav (11-7) Held up towards rear, steady headway on inside after 5th, led 2 out, soon ridden, headed last, no extra towards finish, 2nd of 15, 2 1/2l behind I'moncloudnine (11-10) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft.
Miss Midnight 33-1 (10-3) Always behind, tailed off, 6th of 10, well behind Gullible Gordon (11-7) at Taunton 3m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft.
A Few Kind Words (IRE) 14-1 (10-9) Tracked leader and pulled hard, carried right on bend after 4, joined leader 7th, weakened 3 out, 4th of 7, 41l behind L'Eau Du Nil (10-12) at Chepstow 2m 4f sll hdl (5) gs in Nov.
Take It There 33-1 (11-9) Raced in 4th, 3rd and ridden 3 out, kept on to press for 2nd flat, 3rd of 10, 3l behind Himba (10-5) at Folkestone 2m nov hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs.
Kirbys Glen (IRE) 15-2 (10-7) Mid-division and pulled early, chased leader 7th, weakened approaching 4 out, blundered 3 out and pulled up 2 out in race won by Ping Pong Sivola (11-1) at Wincanton 2m 5f cnd hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft, 8 ran.
Michigan d'Isop (FR) 100-1 (10-12) Mistakes, always in rear, tailed off and pulled up 3 out in race won by Nevada Royale (10-12) at Exeter 3m nov chs (3) hvy in Nov, 8 ran.
Justabout 7-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, mistake 2nd, badly hampered 3rd, lost place and tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Pret A Thou (11-4) at Hereford 2m nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs, 14 ran.
Compton Star 17-2 (11-2) Mid-division, mistake 3rd, ridden and weakened 7th, behind when pulled up 2 out in race won by Pret A Thou (11-4) at Hereford 2m nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs, 14 ran.
Lady Malousa 15-2 (10-13) Held up in rear, pushed along after 6th, ran out 10th ran out 5 out in race won by I'moncloudnine (11-10) at Hereford 2m 3f hcp chs 0-95 (5) sft, 15 ran.
Jack's Lad (IRE) 8-1 (11-9) Headway to chase leaders 9th, in 6th and weakening when fell 3 out in race won by Ad Murum (11-6) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f nov hcp chs 0-90 (5) gd in May '07, 13 ran.
Mister Tibus (FR) 14-1 (11-5) Prominent, weakened 7th, behind when pulled up 2 out in race won by Bally Conn (10-13) at Wincanton 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gs in Oct, 21 ran.
Roseville (IRE) 66-1 (10-5) With leader, pecked 1st, mistake 9th, conceded to 3rd from next, 3rd of 5, well behind Consigliere (11-4) at Towcester 2m 3f nov chs (3) sft in Nov.
